Devil In the Sun
by Swythangel
Summary: Ken is caught by Schwarz...better read and find out...too hard to explain^_~ Part 6, last chapter here, newfangled chapterizing feature drives me bananas
1. Default Chapter Title

Author: Swythangel   
Email: swythangel@hotmail.com   
Title: Devil In the Sun   
Type: 1/?, Series   
Teaser: Ken is caught by Schwarz and, ah hell, I can't describe it..just read please   
Rating: PG -13   
Spoilers:   
Warnings: Shonen Ai, yaoi hints, torture, AU   
Disclaimer: Weiß Kreuz is not mine…will never be mine but damn if that'll stop me from torturing their lives in my fics...   
Keywords: Ken, Brad, BradxKen, Schwarz, torture

Oh, oh! Its not ranxken! blinks> I actually wrote a non-ranxken ficcie! bounce>   
Big big thanks to Arcina-chan for thinking up a title that's so good and for comments.   
Ok this is where the sorries come in….Gomen first and foremost to Schwarz fans if they are a little ooc here…I do not have a good grasp of the characters…Secondly, gomen for the botched timeline. I sort of envisioned this in between Aya-chan's kidnapping and the final battle with Schwarz and Esset in the tv series…and since its been a long time since I last watched Weiß Kreuz…hums>lalala!   
This ficcie's plotline is actually very very similar to minor thread in a book I read by R.M. Meluch, The Queen's Squadron, a long time ago. It just somehow popped into my mind how perfect it is for Brad and Ken. And so I popped the book out and looked again. So don't be surprised if the thread and some scenes look suspiciously like the ones in the book.

I'll stop blabbering off now, I've bored you guys enough…

**Devil In the Sun**   
**Part 1**

Schwarz caught Ken. The damn bastards had ambushed him just after soccer practice with the kids. He had been treating his fellow volunteer coaches and Miki-chan (one of his young charges) to some ice cream when the gruesome foursome had appeared out of nowhere and had taken them out.

Everything was blank after that.

Ken awoke to Miki-chan's crying. The little girl was frightened out of her wits. And so were the other volunteers.

_/Son of a bitch! They should have left the others alone. It's just me they want. Goddamn it!/_

"There, there, Miki-chan. I'm sure this is all a mistake. They'll let us out in no time at all, you'll see."

He cuddled the scared little girl against him, comforting her.

"I'm scared, Ken-niisan."

"I know you are, sweetheart. Don't worry, Ken-niisan will always be here to protect you, ne?"

_/I promise, Miki-chan./_

"Ken, who were those creepy men? Do you think they're the ones who kidnapped us? Do you think they'll hurt us?"

Keiichi, one of Ken's co-volunteer coaches was staring at him with fear in his eyes. Ken couldn't blame him. Schwarz looked scary even to him.

_/Damn right! Those four could do anything./_

But he didn't tell Keiichi that. It was useless to scare the other boy, not when it could induce mass panic in everyone else.

"I'm sorry Keiichi but I don't know."

Ken hated the lie even as he said it. But it was really for their own good. If he told them about Schwarz, he would have to tell them about Weiß and no one lived to tell about Weiß.

_/I have to get them out of here./_

"Keiichi, hold Miki for a moment will you?"

Ken gently transferred the calmed child to his co-volunteer and stood up to survey the room.

Heavily enforced steel door, no furniture whatsoever and white walls. It was a typical holding cell, if not for the wide glass mirror that occupied one wall.

_/I wonder…/_

Ken walked towards the mirror and knocked on it, testing it for its thickness.

_::I wouldn't try it, Weiß. All you're going to get is a bruised body.::_

_/Schuldich! Let them go free. It's me you want. They're of no use to you./_

_::Tut, tut, Weiß. That's so nauseating you know, this tendency of yours to worry about others when its your hide you should worry about.::_

"Eeek! Ken-niisan!"

Ken swung around, breaking the mind conversation with the Schwarz member, to look at what was bothering Miki. There, framed by the door, was the silver-haired one-eyed Schwarz, the crazy psychopath named Farfarello.

Ken strained his neck to look beyond the assassin and saw that Farfarello was alone.

_/Maybe I can take him out./_

_::Get real, Weiß. You know from past experiences how dangerous Farfarello is and you don't even have your weapon with you. How much of a chance would you stand against him? Besides, do you want anything to happen to your beloved soccer chums?::_

Schuldich's voice held a threatening note in his mind-thought.

_::I suggest you go with Farfarello quietly, Weiß. Or you won't like what happens.::_

_/Damn you./_

Ken's thought was laced in venom and hatred but Schuldich merely laughed.

_::I've been damned a long time ago, Siberian, a very long time ago. Now be a good boy and follow Farfarello. Crawford is waiting.::_

***

Ken was led into a similar room by the crazy Farfarello who prodded him every few steps to hurry. The room had a similar glass mirror, only this one allowed him to see the other side. And he saw Miki, Keiichi and the others. The silver-haired Schwarz pushed him into a chair.

No sooner was he seated when a deep voice spoke up.

"Who commands Weiß?"

Bradley Crawford, leader of the Schwarz team, asked Ken. He didn't try to intimidate or shout, he only asked it quietly, like he was having tea with Ken. A fact that surprised Ken. He had expected sneers of contempt, threats and the like, certainly not these civilized questions.

"I don't know."

_::That's a lie, Brad. But then again, that was so obvious that you don't even need me to tell you that, do you?::_

_/Shut up, Schuldich./ _Brad threw Schuldich an annoyed look. Sometimes the cocky German just irritated the hell out of him.

He turned towards Ken again, his urbane civilized mask back in place.

"Now, Siberian, you know I can't accept that answer. Now tell me the truth, who is the person behind _Weiß_?"

No answer.

Brad chose to ignore Ken's silence and continued talking. "We can make this easy or hard, Siberian. Tell me or else."

He left it hanging. Brad was a man of few words, he preferred to let his actions speak for him. And his actions always got results in the past. That was why he was the leader of Schwarz.

Ken would not talk, whatever they did. He was Weiß, he was Siberian, he was Ken. And he would never betray his comrades or the organization behind them. He would withstand whatever they would throw at him. They were his only family and damn if he would put them in danger.

"Screw you."

Brad did not even raise an eyebrow at Ken's irreverent comment. He felt a glint of admiration for him though, it wasn't an easy task to mouth off to him, especially when he had dangerous allies at his back, just waiting for his signal to maim or kill.

_/Your irreverent attitude will change soon enough./_

It was time for Siberian to learn something about Schwarz.

And him.

Brad called out to the young boy at his left, his gaze still fixed on Ken.

"Nagi."

"Hai."

Nagi knew what Brad wanted him to do. He focused his powers. And a gun levitated in the next room.

_::The kid, Nagi. That's the one he's most attached to.::_

Nagi looked at Brad, the question in his eyes.

Brad nodded. And the gun went off, instantly killing the little girl.

"NOOOOO!" Ken launched himself at the glass mirror, crying.

"Miki…."

_/No. Not her. I promised I wold protect her. How could they do this? Bastards! Miki, Miki, please tell me you're not dead./_

He slid down on onto the floor, hugging himself in shock.

Brad looked at the crying boy for a few seconds before he spoke up.

"You see what happens when you're stubborn, Siberian?" The mild tone did nothing to hide the hard steel edge behind the words. "Now tell me, who commands Weiß?"

Silence.

"You have four other friends in there, Siberian. I promise you, it won't be as quick for them as it was for Miki."

This was still uttered in a mild voice, as if it sought to understate the threat inherent in the spoken words. If Ken was more aware of Brad's voice, he would have realized the danger he was courting, but he didn't. He was too gone in grief and anger to even consider thinking before he spoke.

"Do what you will Schwarz! But understand that if you do anything to them, you do it for your own sick pleasure because I will never talk. I didn't talk for Miki and I will not talk for them. These people's lives are on your conscience."

As soon as Brad heard Ken's words, he knew that killing the little girl first had been a mistake. He looked at Schuldich with narrowed eyes.

_/You were supposed to find out what would make him talk./_

_::I did try, Brad. And his overriding thoughts were his concern for the kid. How was I suppose to know he'd turn to this.:: _Schuldich protested. _::I might have the ability to read other people's minds but even that has limits. No one's perfect, Bradley.::_

_/See that it doesn't happen again Schuldich./ _Brad's tone was cold with disapproval. _/And see to the hostages. Set them free and remove this memory from their minds. They are of no use to us now./_

_/You can do this without botching it, can't you, Schuldich?/_

Schuldiich's eyes narrowed at Brad's snide comment but thought twice before reacting. He knew what Brad was capable of behind the civilized façade. He gave him a perfunctory nod and motioned to both Farfarello and Nagi. He would need the two to handle the hostages if he was to brainwash them.

"Brad?" Nagi looked inquiringly at Brad, ignoring Schuldich's impatient look at him.

"Go with Schuldich, Nagi. I can handle this."

"Alright."

And the beautiful youth followed Schuldich and Farfarello out of the room, leaving Brad alone with Ken.

_::Be careful. Siberian is thinking of revenge.::_

As soon as Nagi had closed the door, Brad stood up and looked over at the other room, waiting for the three to appear and get the hostages. He had been staring at the room for a few minutes when a vision hit him.

FLASH!

[Ken Hidaka jumping up from the chair and launching himself at Brad in a flying tackle.]

And sure enough, as soon as Schuldich opened the door to the hostages' room, Brad heard the scrape of a chair being pulled back. Brad gave no indication that he heard Ken. In the two-way mirror, he saw Ken's reflection lunging at him. And still he didn't move.

It was only when Ken was close enough did Brad step aside. It only took a second for Brad to grab Ken, pin his arms behind his back, and slam him on the glass mirror.

Ken hit the glass mirror with a resounding thud and a grunt of pain.

From the other side of the mirror, the three members of Schwarz looked up from what they were doing,

_::Is everything under control?::_

_/Do your job Schuldich, I can handle this./_

Brad bought his face close to Ken's and whispered near his ear. "That was stupid, Siberian. You know I have the gift to predict what you will do."

"Come, try again." Brad's breath tickled Ken's ear and the clean scent of the Schwarz' leader drifted over Ken, surprising him. He had always thought that evil came with a certain stench. Just like death held the coppery smell of blood.

Brad's weight lifted from him and Ken saw the bespectacled man lay his gun down on the table as he turned his back on Ken. He invited Ken to try and take it.

Was Crawford toying with him? The Schwarz leader had the advantage. Why would he do this? Maybe it was a trick. The gun could be booby-trapped. Or maybe it wasn't loaded at all. Schuldich could be monitoring Ken's movements. Or maybe the trick was that there was no trick at all. Maybe the Schwarz leader was playing mind games with him, testing just how far Ken would go.

Ken was deadly tired of thinking. He folded his arms.

"I don't want to play anymore."

Crawford nodded his approval. Not that Ken noticed. He had turned his head to the side. That was when he saw the other three members of Schwarz rounding up his co-volunteers. Ken panicked, but he tried not to let it show, knowing that Schwarz would take advantage of his weakness.

_/Stay calm, Ken. You cannot afford making mistakes./_

Eventhough Ken didn't say a word, Brad knew what was going on inside the boy's head. And he smiled at Ken's efforts. The boy might have kept his face blank but the rioting emotions in his eyes betrayed him.

He answered the boy's unasked question with a casual air.

"I have no more need of them. They will be free to go. Contrary to what you may think, I am not inclined towards psychopathic tendencies." Brad told Ken. "I leave that to Farfarello."

The overwhelming relief that showed in Ken's eyes didn't escape Brad's notice.

_/Aa, Siberian, you are still too young, too naïve for your own good. And this naivete would be the one thing that will ultimately deliver what I want. Do not worry, Siberian, I will not hurt your little friends anymore. I have other things planned for you./_

There was sadness in the thought, of past regret. But it was fleeting as Brad's eyes hardened once more.

"You shouldn't look relieved just yet, Siberian. Everything goes downhill for you from now on."

And with a flick of his wrist, burly guards went in the room and roughly dragged Ken to whatever torture the Schwarz leader had planned for him.

TBC   
^_~ 

Comments? I like the idea of BradxKen and this ficcie is almost finished in my comp. :> Anyway, I don't think there are that many BradxKen fans out there that's why comments are welcome. I wouldn't want to impose this pairing on you guys after all if possible. :> Of course there is this teensy tiny need in myself for comments too lol> but that's besides the point...

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[http://www.geocities.com/ssinvincibility][2]

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	2. Default Chapter Title

Author: Swythangel   
Email: swythangel@hotmail.com   
Title: Devil In the Sun   
Type: 2/?, Series   
Teaser: Ken is caught by Schwarz and, ah hell, I can't describe it..just read please   
Rating: PG -13   
Spoilers:   
Warnings: Shonen Ai, yaoi hints, torture, AU   
Disclaimer: Weiß Kreuz is not mine…will never be mine but damn if that'll stop me from torturing their lives in my fics...   
Keywords: Ken, Brad, BradxKen, Schwarz, torture

Er, I'd like to clarify something for minna-san. Torture in this fic is not equated to bondage or any sexual nature. I am talking about prison torture.grins at grumbles> You guys know by now that I have never written a lime scene much less lemon, though I want to...sighs>So does this mean no one is going to read it anymore? chuckle>   
Hope not. Because you all know how much i love comments...pleading look> I really will try for a lime scene in one of the last parts ^-^v   
Thank you to all of you who commented. As always I love you guys!glomp glomp glomp> BradKen rules...i hope! lol>Ok Nuff said.

**Devil In the Sun**   
**Part 2**

They tried truth serum first. But Ken's mind wasn't the kind that responded to such chemicals and all it made Ken do was spew out curses aimed at Brad.

Not that it affected Brad. He had long ago learned to filter out such things, remaining unattached and unemotional to the things he did. This was work, there was no room for personal matters.

It was this attitude that made him one of the best interrogators in Esset. Unlike Schuldich who was quick to get angry and had sadistic tendencies, he never once flared up, his iron will never let him down.

_/There are other ways, Siberian. In the end you will break too, like all of them. I have seen it in a vision. I will succeed as always./_

_/You don't belong in Weiß, Ken Hidaka. Your naivete will not cut it as an assassin. You should have chosen another path to follow, then you wouldn't be in this situation. Now you will regret it./_

It was a purely objective observation on Brad's part, devoid of feelings. They had researched the personalities of the Weiß assassins well before they had finally chosen Ken Hidaka. He was the weak link. Through him, they would be able to break Weiß and the organization behind it.

That was the mission Esset gave him and Brad had never failed before. He would not fail this.

***

Every nerve in Ken's body was screaming in agony. It hurt to move or even breath as too sensitive skin burned in response.

_/Everything hurts. Damn bastard./_

Tears leaked out of his eyes and Ken flinched as the salty liquid touched the skin at the back of his neck. Even that hurt and he knew it would continue to hurt until the skin healed. Only his face had been spared. And that only because he still needed to breath.

But even as his physical body was in excruciating pain, Ken rejoiced inside. He hadn't talked. He didn't say anything to betray Weiß. Omi, Aya and Youji were safe.

_/It will take more than dropping me into scalding water to break me./_

Yes, the sadistic bastards had tried to break him by boiling him in too-hot water. At first it had been merely painful. The water had not even been hot enough to blister his skin. But that soon changed. In the end, Ken's agonized screams filled the room.

They lifted him out for a day. Long enough for the pain to subside. Then put him back in. And Ken's agony continued as tenderized skin exploded in renewed pain.

All the while, Ken's hated captor looked on, popping in the same question every interval, every time the need to breath would force Ken to stop screaming. And Ken would always ignore him, concentrating on saving his energy for the screams to come.

Knock! Knock!

Ken knew who it was eventhough he didn't turn to look. It was Crawford. Only he would knock before entering Ken's cell, a polite gesture so very out of place in this torturous hellhole.

He sat down on Ken's cot.

"Well Siberian. Are you ready to tell me who commands Weiß now?"

Ken didn't even deign that with a reply.

"So stubborn." Brad told him softly as he stood up.

"And stupid." He signaled to people outside and like before, guards took Ken and carried him back to…

_/No! Not again. I can't take it anymore./_

The fear must have shown in his eyes because Brad's next comment was like an insidious snake, tempting him.

"You know that the agony will end if you just tell me what I need. I'll even let the best doctors heal your wounds, take you back to your friends."

Ken shut Brad's voice out. He didn't want to hear what he had to say, afraid that he might give in and betray Weiß. No, he could not, would not, betray his family in exchange for his life. He turned his face away from Brad.

"Suit yourself."

Brad gave the signal and the guards dropped Ken into the boiling water, keeping his head above it.

Ken's mind started to splinter again. No! No! No! He couldn't bear the water again. He didn't want to hurt anymore.

Half-cooked skin burst into scintillating pain, intensifying each second that passed. Ken's mindless screams echoed throughout the room.

As it dragged on to what seemed like forever, Ken's pain-glazed mind realized that this would happen again and again until Crawford got his answer. He cowered inside his mind. He didn't think he could take this pain for much longer.

_/There is only one thing left for me to do./_

And in a daring act of courage, intertwined with cowardice, Ken extricated his head from the guard's hold and plunged his face into the scalding water, overcoming his body's survival reflex as he breathed in the water…

***

Ken woke up in his cell, a tingling mass of pain, bitterly disappointed that he hadn't died. As usual, Brad was sitting on the edge of his cot. The Schwarz leader was gently removing the tubes they used to force-feed him when he had been unconscious.

This startled him and he croaked through a throat ravaged by burns. "It doesn't hurt when you do that."

"I am not a sadistic man." Brad told him quietly. Ken couldn't really see that well but he thought he saw a troubled look in Brad's eyes.

Ken laughed at this. A laugh that turned into pain-filled coughing as his offended throat protested in agony. It struck him as funny that his chief torturer was bothered by his comment. As if Ken's opinion of him mattered at all. Tears squeezed out of his eyes in laughter and pain, stinging half-healed skin.

"You sure could have fooled me."

Brad withdrew a snow-white handkerchief from his impeccable suit's breast pocket and blotted out Ken's tears.

"There is a reason for what I do."

Ken didn't have a reply for that so he stayed silent.

Silence reigned for a few minutes as Brad continued to sit and stare at Ken with pensive eyes. Ken had a feeling that the Schwarz leader desperately needed someone to talk to.

_/Can he possibly be lonely? After all, even bad guys must have feelings too./ _Ken mused, feeling sorry for Brad Crawford.

_/Baka Ken. Don't start feeling sorry for him. He's the enemy remember?/_

But still….

"Ever questioned them?" Ken suddenly asked Brad. "What they're telling you to do?"

"No." Crawford replied.

"No?"

"Its not who I am."

"Who are you?"

"Loyalty."

"Blind loyalty." Ken snorted. "That's stupid."

Crawford shook his head. "Absolute loyalty to the cause. There's a difference."

Brad intrigued Ken. From Weiß files and from previous encounters, Ken knew that Brad was an oracle, a clairvoyant.

"One who sees the future…" Ken murmured, lost in his thoughts. Ken was wondering how Brad could give his loyalty over to the enemy when he could probably see the havoc it would cause in the future, how he could choose to walk this path.

On the other hand, Ken could see how the burden of the future could weigh heavily down on a man's shoulders. How could Brad know what road to take. Ken could not even think of the responsibility and guilt Brad must feel everytime something went wrong. It must be hell being Bradley Crawford.

"Does it hurt? Knowing the possibilities, the future?"

"Sometimes." The Schwarz leader said heavily. "Sometimes it hurts to know that there is a possible future so bright and full of promise, only to see it trodden and broken by people in the present who do not care enough to think of what they should do before doing it. You don't know what it is like to see something like that, yearn for it and have it broken into pieces by uncaring actions only because I am powerless to stop it."

Brad blinked, startled. That had been one of his best-kept secrets, a remnant of his broken youth. He had never told it to anyone before.

_/What are you doing to me, Ken Hidaka?/_

It also startled Ken, this sudden outburst of honesty from his enemy.

_/He is human after all./_

"It saddens me to think that someone who should feel strongly about a bright future is on the other side when we stand for what is right."

"You think you do." Brad countered. "But who is to say that you are right and we are in the wrong. It could be the other way around."

"You know what drives me nuts? It's the fact that you actually believe in their shit. How could you ever believe that a bunch of old geezers have a right to play with the life of a girl like they're God?"

"What's so wrong with god-playing?"

"They're not gods, Crawford."

"But we could do worse, Ken. The God you believe in created this miserable world, dangled a bright future in front of it and swiped it away after a second or so. It is not that different from what we want to do. Do you blame me for trying to make things the way I think they should be?"

Ken looked Brad up and down. "Hell no! But there is a right way of doing things."

"Who commands Weiß?"

Ken refused to answer.

And the gentle once-idealistic man that Ken was starting to like took out a razor and slit both of Ken's eyelids.

***

Ken's vision returned painfully. He peered through cracked lids and it was like seeing through fur or broken glass. Apparently, he needed his vision for the tortures to come…

Crawford had Farfarello rape him physically and Schuldich mentally. But Ken's mind went elsewhere each time, went to a place where no one could touch him, deep into his mind. Even Schuldich couldn't reach it.

They could humiliate his body until they fell over dead, Ken just wasn't there.

His consciousness returned when they brought him back to his cell, every nerve in his body screaming in pain. He was used to it now. And his mind wandered off, ignoring his body, as he remembered something.

_/Since when did Bradley Crawford called him Ken?/_

***

Brad ran through everything he knew. He tried the rack, the whip, gang rape, even tried all the primal fears, but nothing worked. He was fast running out of things to try.

His clairvoyant powers had told him that he would succeed but that should have happened a good long way back already. His powers had never failed him before…and it couldn't fail now. His powers were an extension of his self, like his eyes. If they ever faltered, he would feel blind.

_/What is happening? I cannot lose control./_

Esset was becoming impatient with him. Brad Crawford, who had always regularly delivered successful results, was not completing his most important assignment ever and they wanted to know why. That was why the three prominent leaders of Esset were here now. They had come to observe Brad, to check up on his progress. A fact that did not bode well for Brad.

"Have you made progress?"

Brad stiffened but covered it up in his urbane façade, his pale face was the only sign of his distress. He answered honestly.

"I am sorry but there is nothing more I can do with the captive."

An incredulous silence followed. Brad had always come through for Esset before, to hear the Schwarz leader admit defeat was startling to say the least.

"Are you saying you failed, Crawford?"

"I have more than failed. If I had done things differently, I might have gotten the information required but I have erred in my calculations and the result is this."

Brad realized that his mistake was in his very first decision. He shouldn't have chosen Ken Hidaka. He might have appeared to be the weakest link, what with his openness and naivete but Brad had underestimated his loyalty and protectiveness towards his teammates.

"This is catastrophic."

"Yes it is." Brad said, he didn't try to hide the fact.

"Is it that he is that strong?"

Brad considered that. "Physically, no. He's threshold of pain is very low but I have underestimated his tenacity and belief in remaining silent."

"In his mind, he is protecting his teammates and that gives him strength to circumvent anything I throw at him. He has conditioned himself to avoid pain. If I get anywhere close to a breaking point, his mind just conveniently goes someplace else."

Brad's voice was tired and he knew he was strung tighter than a violin.

"Show us. What are you doing now?"

"Fire."

"He withstands fire?" One of Esset's leaders said skeptically.

"No. That's the point. He doesn't stand anything. When the pain becomes intolerable, his mind goes neatly elsewhere and I am left with a mindless screaming body. He comes back and we do it all over again."

"I am trying to keep the pain at a level where he will stay with me."

Esset nodded at him.

"Continue then."

Brad turned his attention back to Ken, face paler than before. There was distress in his eyes and more than ever, he felt the responsibilities of his job weigh heavily on him. It was the first time he ever failed an assignment, a fine reason to be distressed. But there was something else…

_/Get your mind back to your work, Bradley, or they'll get angrier than they are already./_

He closed his eyes for a moment. He was dead tired of this. Ken Hidaka might be nowhere near breaking point but he was.

***

_::Crawford looks too pale.::_

_::I sense that he is unhappy, tired, broken.::_

_::Unacceptable. We need him, he is the one best qualified in the tasks we need him to do.::_

_::Then what do we propose we do.::_

_::Find him a mate. He is still young. He needs companionship.::_

Disdain laced the next mind-voice. _::A ridiculous failing of youth. But I concur.::_

_::Where do we find one?::_

_::We ask.::_

TBC

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---A Shadow Skill Website. The multitude of bishuonens of Kuruda!---   
[http://www.geocities.com/ssinvincibility][2]

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	3. Default Chapter Title

Author: Swythangel   
Email: swythangel@hotmail.com   
Title: Devil In the Sun   
Type: 3/6, Series   
Teaser: Ken is caught by Schwarz and, ah hell, I can't describe it..just read please   
Rating: PG -13   
Spoilers:   
Warnings: Shonen Ai, yaoi hints, torture, AU   
Disclaimer: Weiß Kreuz is not mine…will never be mine but damn if that'll stop me from torturing their lives in my fics...   
Keywords: Ken, Brad, BradxKen, Schwarz, torture

Last of the torture grin> and I don't know what else. I hope its still nice ne? And did I promise lime before? looks back at post>oh I did…blinks>that still isn't happening anytime soon judging from what I've been writing whacks self> gomen!

**Devil In the Sun**   
**Part 3**

Muscles twitched of their own accord, shying away from the fire which seared every reachable part of his body. The smell of burned skin, so akin to burned rubber, permeated the air, filling his nostrils.

He imagined the fire creeping up on him, transforming into liquid and entering his veins, filling him with its strength until he was consumed, changed, became fire incarnate.

_/There is no boundary between flesh and flame. Shape is an imaginary wall. Push, push and I am through. Body turns into flames, I *am * flame. This is unparalleled pleasure./_

A firm touch summons him back. Someone takes his chin and lifts his flame-face to look at him. Ken focused his eyes, tears streaming down, on the face of the one who gave him such ecstasy.

Brad looked into his eyes and Ken looked back.

_/What beautiful eyes./_

***

Brad watched his assistants work for awhile. He was sick and weary of doing this. The knowledge that Esset was watching only added another burden on his shoulders. He wished it was over. He wished he would be permitted to let it go. Let Schuldich or one of the others take over.

His guards were too eager, they didn't realize that they were pushing too hard. And that goddamn Ken Hidaka had an erection.

_/Damn./_

Brad rubbed at his temples, trying to still the pounding inside his head as he watched.

_/One more and Ken will be out of my hold again./_

It was an annoying trait. Everytime the pain became intolerable, Ken rewrote the program of his brain, convincing himself that it was wonderful. He knew he couldn't escape the pain, therefore he made it pleasurable.

If Brad wasn't so miserable with his failure, he would have laughed.

_/I've failed./_

He walked closer to Ken, removed a glove and lifted Ken's lolling head to inspect his face. Ken's eyes were open.

_/He's conscious then./_

Ken looked up at him with dreamy ecstasy and tearing eyes. Brad bent close to his face and asked softly.

"Who commands Weiß?"

Ken gave him a beaming smile. "Damn, you're beautiful, Bradley."

Brad dropped Ken's face and signaled his guards to stop. Swinging round, he strode back to where Esset sat.

"I've lost him."

He steeled himself for the recriminations sure to follow. Esset did not accept failures and Brad had failed.

"What is your sexual preference, Crawford?"

Brad was shocked, of all the questions or comments to ask, he never expected this. Accusations, yes, and maybe punishment. But this?

"I…I've never questioned it." He managed to say.

"Are you homosexual?"

"I don't know. I…" A face flashed through Brad's mind. "Maybe."

Brad's answer wasn't so much defensive as it was confused. He had never thought about it, really, being too immersed with his work in Esset.

"Who would you prefer to be with if you could have anyone?"

"I don't know."

"Do you want to make love to him?" One of Esset's leaders nodded towards Ken who was being supported by two guards after being released from his bindings.

Brad's face paled as blood drained away from his face in a rush. He forced himself to talk, saying the same word twice because no sound came out the first time.

"Yes."

Shame filled Brad then. This was the ultimate humiliation. He had just given them the perfect weapon to level at him. There was no doubt in his mind that he would be expelled from Schwarz, worse, maybe even killed.

"You may go."

Brad facevaulted in surprise.

_/That was it? They weren't even going to reprimand him?/_

His mind reeled and he could barely stand.

"One moment."

He froze.

"What do you recommend we do with him?"

Brad spared Ken a glance and with slight hesitation, said, "Kill him."

"Your reason?"

"Further time and effort would be a waste. We will never get the information out and he cannot be set free. He is a member of Weiß and one less member to deal with increases the possibility of success for our side. There is no purpose in maintaining his life."

Each word that fell from his lips seemed to drive a knife through his being but Brad remained outwardly calm. He was Schwarz's leader and his job always came first.

Esset nodded their agreement. "Make it so."

Brad gave them a perfunctory nod. It was all he could manage with his inner turmoil. He turned towards the guards and motioned with his hands. His throat had tightened up so much he couldn't speak.

In a series of movements, he pointed at Ken, drew his right hand horizontally across the neck from left to right and pointed outside. The guards knew the signs well enough. Brad had just ordered them to take Ken outside and kill him.

As the guards dragged Ken out, Brad followed them with his eyes, trying not to show any emotion or cry out. He was trying to hold his guts in. They felt like they wanted to fall out.

He scarcely heard the mind-thought Esset directed his way.

_::Crawford? Suicide is out of the question.::_

That was an order. And Brad always obeyed orders.

***

As soon as Esset left, Brad stumbled into his own room. A white sterile and orderly room that reflected Brad's personality. He put his face down on the pillow in shame as hot tears burned their way to the surface.

_::Are you alright, Brad?:: _Schuldich's mind voice echoed in his head.

_/I'm alright. Now get the hell out of my head, Schuldich./_

_::Touchy, touchy. See if I ever ask again.:: _Schuldich's voice faded from Brad's mind.

_/I will be alright. I have to be alright. I am Schwarz. I have to be./_

***

Ken was half-conscious when the guards backed him up against a brown-splattered wall. The scent of dried blood was all over the place and Ken knew that he had been taken to the execution chamber.

They were going to kill him, which was fine with him. At least his misery would end once and for all. He closed his eyes.

Click!

The sound of safety clips being flicked off.

_/It'll be over soon…/_

"Ready, aim…"

"Stop."

A cadre of guards, dressed in Esset's nondescript suits entered the execution chamber.

"My orders are from Crawford himself. If you have a counter order, it had better be from God." Ken's executioner snapped at the intruders.

"Esset."

"Close enough." The executioner motioned to his assistants to step back. "He's all yours."

Ken was dragged off the ground and he expected them to throw him back into his cell. But they didn't. They threw him into a car and took him to a room where no one bothered him at all.

Ken was left drifting in a haze of pain and darkness for how long he did not know but long enough that wounds started to heal and he started to feel again. He saw no one as days passed by in a blur.

_/What are they keeping me for?/_

If this was another trap to get him to talk, it wasn't working. Nothing would make him betray Weiß.

_/Omi, Youji, Aya…you guys will be safe as long as I am alive./_

TBC

^_~

As always comments are too too welcome and craved for. ^o^

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	4. Default Chapter Title

Author: Swythangel   
Email: swythangel@hotmail.com   
Title: Devil In the Sun   
Type: Series 4/6   
Teaser: Ken is caught by Schwarz and, ah hell, I can't describe it..just read please   
Rating: PG -13   
Spoilers:   
Warnings: Shonen Ai, yaoi hints, torture, AU   
Disclaimer: Weiß Kreuz is not mine…will never be mine but damn if that'll stop me from torturing their lives in my fics...   
Keywords: Ken, Brad, BradxKen, Schwarz, torture

Thanks to everyone who reviewed and chuckle>for those who have been asking for lemons and limes...er, would you settle for sap instead? sweatdrops at glares>guess not....

As usual, comments are dearly welcomed and sought after...

OOC Brad I think...but I couldn't resist ^-^v

**Devil In the Sun**   
**Part 4**

For weeks, Brad walked around performing his job as usual. If anyone ever noticed how pale and drawn he was, no one commented. No one dared to. Only Schuldich ever did. And after the putdown he received, Schuldich would never ask again.

Esset summoned him to a place he had never been to before. A place not far from Tokyo but definitely the rustics. And he obeyed.

Of course he obeyed. He worked for them.

Based on the directions, he had to hire a helicopter to get to the place. A fact that made him wonder just what he had to accomplish in such an outlandish location.

The helicopter touched down on a steep mountain and Brad saw a small wooden cabin, not unlike his family's former hideaway in America, nestled in the mountain's side. No one was around the cabin.

_/What is the meaning of this?/_

RiNg!

Brad took his cellphone from his suit's breast pocket.

"Brad Crawford here."

"Crawford."

_/Esset./_

Crawford listened in stunned silence as Esset explained that the cabin was his. It was furnished with a bedroom, a library, music, fireplace, even electricity from a generator. And almost as an afterthought…

"You have a companion."

Crawford had a funny feeling they weren't talking about a pet.

"What companion?"

"The one you wanted."

"But…" He wanted to protest as blood drained from his face.

"Crawford." They interrupted. "It is compensation. For the loyalty you have given us. You may refuse. But for no other reason than because you do not want it."

Brad couldn't say a thing. Logic warred with emotion. What could he say when he wanted to accept but was afraid to.

"We will take your silence as a yes. Consider this paid vacation. You have two weeks."

Brad closed his phone and put it back in. Hesitating, he entered the cabin as his heart pounded an irregular beat against his ribcage.

FLASH!

[Ken shifting on the bed to snuggle closer to Brad in his sleep, a smile on his lips.]   
  


_/Its been a long time since my visions came back. Is this a sign?/_

A fire had been left in the hearth, the flames licking higher as air from the opened door rushed in to feed it. It guttered back down once Brad shut the door.

Pine. The room smelled of pine. It brought back memories of skiing trips when he had been a youngster in the United States, when he had still been innocent.

He turned a glance to his surroundings and saw a small kitchen on his right as well as a bedroom and bathroom to the left. And at last, he couldn't avoid it. His eyes eventually became drawn to the center of the room, to the boy sitting on the thick carpet beside the bookcase and sound system.

Ken Hidaka was swaying a little as he leaned against a couch, staring at him with vacant eyes. Brad looked at him with concern. Ken looked too thin in the silk pajamas he wore but he was healthy enough and clean.

Brad took off his gloves and set them aside, going over to where Ken was, to check his face. They had drugged him senseless. That much, he was sure of, as Ken looked at him and gave him a bright swimming smile.

After making sure that Ken was alright except for being drugged, Brad rose and sat on the chair opposite the couch Ken leaned against. He kept his overcoat on, as though he was very cold. He knew that his face was as white as the snow outside as he tried to tell Ken why he was here.

His cheeks were burning up with mortified shame and he knew it stood up in stark contrast to his paleness. Brad wished he was wearing shades rather than glasses. Because then, he could hide behind their darker lenses while he confessed to the object of his desire.

All in all, he actually made a commendable effort. He managed to maintain an even voice even as his mounting terror at being rejected betrayed itself in the white line around his lips.

"This is not my doing. I ordered you killed. I didn't know they would do this."

Brad shifted a little in his seat.

"This is really very undignified and humiliating…but I, I have decided to accept."

_/God, what must he think of me now./_

He hadn't looked at Ken once since he had started talking. And the silence irked even him who loved quiet solitude. He raised his eyes, finally, to see how it went over and saw Ken grinning vacuously up at him.

Brad couldn't believe it went so well. But then again, Ken was drugged. He would probably have raised high holy hell if he wasn't. After all, his files said that he was a hothead to begin with.

_/Well we can't do anything about it now./_

And as if in defiance to what he knew would have been Ken's reaction, he warned the boy. "This may not look like a prison, but I assure you that it is. There is no way out of this steep mountain except by air. You will never be able to escape."

Ken was very agreeable to all this, nodding at him with a grin that looked like it was permanently pasted on his face.

Brad shook his head. Was there anything he could say to get a reaction from the boy?

"Do you want to sleep? Hungry? Thirsty?"

After a long confused pause, Ken answered him.

"All of the above."

Brad helped the drugged Ken up and put him to bed on the big mattress, noting that Ken was unconscious as soon as his head touched the pillow. Brad set a glass of water on the nightstand near Ken and left him alone.

He drifted back to the main room and put some classical music on, reading by the fire until the sun went down on the horizon.

***

Ken stirred hours later, found the bathroom and took a shower. When he came out, Brad had clothes laid out on the bed.

"Those are mine, I'm sorry. They provided nothing for you. I suppose they expect me to keep you tied to the bed. I'll try to arrange for something better next time."

The clothes swam on Ken which was expected. In the first place, Brad was noticeably taller and broader of shoulder than Ken. And Ken had lost so much weight as it is. Ken almost looked lost in the clothes.

_/Ah hell! At least they're clean clothes!/_

It was infinitely better than the clothes he had left in Schwarz headquarters, all bloodied and torn. Ken thought as he emerged from the bedroom, ruffling his hair.

"I look like shit." He told Brad. He hadn't seen a mirror since the time Schwarz had captured him. And what he saw in the mirror almost didn't resemble him at all.

"No kidding?" Brad said dryly. "I didn't notice. I wasn't that concerned with your looks at that time."

Ken didn't reply. Instead, he sat on the couch opposite Brad and looked at the table between them. The low table held a tea tray for two and a chess set.

White had one pawn out.

Ken curled into the couch and moved the black pawn, lifting chocolate brown eyes to Brad's bespectacled ones.

Brad made a counter move and offered Ken tea and food from the tray.

Ken lifted a teacup but hesitated before it reached its lips.

Brad noticed. "There is nothing in that. I have those right here." He opened his palm to reveal a container of pills. "It's a drug to keep you docile. You were pumped full when I arrived. But they should be wearing off by now."

Ken stirred at that and Brad sought to avert any temper flares.

"Don't get violent. I am not going to use these." He peered at Ken through his glasses. "So are you waking up?"

"I think so." Ken set his cup down and deftly switched it with Brad's. Brad indulged him and drank first.

Ken frowned. He glanced at the chessboard and back to the cups.

"Here, damn it!" Brad took a swallow from what was now Ken's cup as well. And Ken finally drank.

"This isn't Schwarz headquarters." Brad told him. "I told you I ordered you killed. This isn't a trap to reveal who commands your group. Here, I am not Crawford but Brad and you're not Siberian but Ken." He leaned forward and captured Ken's eyes with his own. "I swear I will never ask you again. You must believe that."

Ken nodded.

And Brad shook his head. "You don't believe me." He said witheringly.

"Are you a mind reader, like your friend, Schuldich?"

"No." Brad said. "I am a master interrogator. I can sense lies."

"How do you do that. Tell when I'm lying I mean." Ken asked, moving another black pawn.

Brad considered the board and made his counter move before answering him.

"I've been trained to. It could be something as telltale as twitching hands or a flicker of an eye. The trick is to be observant."

Brad looked at Ken and smiled a small smile.

"In your case it is too easy. You're too open with your feelings and it shows through in your eyes."

"Have you ever been wrong?"

"In reading if it's a lie or not?"

"Yeah."

"Never. Especially with Schuldich as backup."

Ken moved his bishop. "Well, then you guys should've known that I don't know anything important."

Brad threw a white pawn at him. And Ken smiled as he reached down to get it.

"I get you."

"You should know better by now."

"I do." Ken said and looked at him. At first Brad didn't understand why Ken would look at him so, then he realized that the boy was looking for affirmation.

"Truth."

He held up the container of pills. "Do I need this?"

Ken shook his head and Brad tossed them into a drawer.

Silence reigned for the time being as Brad studied the chessboard. His brows drew together in a frown as he realized his position.

"Damn it!"

"Ha!" Ken knocked over the white king. "I won. I never thought I'd win against you."

A suspicious look entered his eyes. "Or did you let me win?"

"I didn't intend to." Brad told him, disconcerted. It suddenly dawned on Brad how many times Ken won against him, not just in the chess game but in everything. It might not seem like it but the innocent youth was on top of the power struggle between them. Ken controlled the situation.

This agitated Brad. He had always been the one in control.

_/What are you doing to me?/_

"I'm sort of disappointed though…"

"Nani? Why?" Brad asked Ken, confused.

"I always feel that White should win over Black."

Brad laughed, the utter naiveté of the boy…

"Aa, you are, of course referring to the allusion of good always defeating evil."

Ken inclined his head and looked at him oddly. "You talk funny. But yeah, something like that."

"The chessboard is not a venue of good and evil, Ken. Its just a game f strategy manipulated by two players."

"I know that." Ken frowned at him.

Brad arched his brows, smirking smugly. "Then why all the pointless whimsical questions?"

This provoked Ken. "You needn't look so smug you know, Mr. High and Mighty! I still beat you, you know."

That made Brad's smirk disappear. And it was Ken's turn to smirk.

"Ha! That brought you down to earth."

Brad narrowed his eyes. "Baka."

"Loser."

***

It grew very late. Ken swung his head to look out the solitary window. He saw the multitude of stars twinkling outside. The moon had come up a long time ago and it was long past time to go to bed.

He turned towards Brad and found the older man blushing and shivering, like he was cold or something. Ken noticed he did it every time Ken's gaze turned his way. And the room was not cold. Not with the fire burning in the fireplace.

_/He told me they gave me to him because he wanted me. Why isn't he doing anything about it then? Why is he stalling?/_

Ken suddenly realized that the older man had turned shy and couldn't go through with his intentions. A bubble of laughter threatened to burst out. Somehow Ken had always envisioned Brad Crawford as an aggressive, cold bastard.

Not this blushing uncertain man who sat next to him, which was kind of endearing actually.

Finally, Ken couldn't stand it. He asked Brad what he wanted.

"Don't." Brad told him.

"Why?"

Brad blushed and without looking at him, said, "Do you know the meaning of Stockholm Syndrome?"

Ken nodded. Omi had explained it to him once, long ago, when they had been watching the news and it had come up. It was a psychological defense that kidnap victims go through to survive the trauma of capture. The victims fell in love with their captor.

"You're stockholmed to your eyes," Brad told Ken, "I have no excuse."

But in the end, Brad's pride couldn't resist the melting brown eyes and the warm body that sought to press itself against his own.

Ken won over him again. The Black King won again.   


TBC   
^_~ Comments as usual?   
  



	5. Default Chapter Title

Author: Swythangel   
Email: swythangel@hotmail.com   
Title: Devil In the Sun   
Type: 5/6, Series   
Teaser: Ken is caught by Schwarz and, ah hell, I can't describe it..just read please   
Rating: PG -13   
Spoilers:   
Warnings: Shonen Ai, yaoi hints, torture, AU   
Disclaimer: Weiß Kreuz is not mine…will never be mine but damn if that'll stop me from torturing their lives in my fics...   
Keywords: Ken, Brad, BradxKen, Schwarz, torture

Gonna be finished! Yes it is! Really really will finish at no. 6 bounces> I am so happy that the muse of epic proportions is on vacation…   
Thank you again to everyone who commented...for the past week or so i haven't really replied to any comments which is unusual of me, as many of you dear people know, its just that hotmail conked out on me for a few days and mail is dreadfully snowed in. So gomen! I still appreciate the comments :>

And the answer to the overwhelming demand for lime...still nothing here to speak of...I am beginning to think i am the sap queen...but I WILL write lime pretty soon or die trying...maybe in the next fics or so...

Nuff of me harping off. Onto the fic...

**Devil In the Sun**   
**Part 5**

"Hey, Brad! You look much better. Vacation did you some good."

Nagi cheerfully greeted him, looking up from his laptop for a few precious seconds to wave at him.

And it was true, Brad did look better. Not as pale or drawn as he had looked when he left. There was even some color to his cheeks and he seemed to be more relaxed and calm.

At Nagi's greeting, the two other members of Schwarz turned around from the couch they had been sitting on to look at him.

"Maybe Brad got to hurt God in his vacation. That's why he looks better." This from Farfarello who licked his knife clean.

Everyone stared at Farfarello and rolled their eyes. A typical Farfie comment.

"Anything I should know about? Anything that happened while I was away?" Brad asked them. Typical of him too. He was, after all, Schwarz' leader and he was back at work.

"Nothing much." Nagi told him, not looking up from his laptop. "We have a new mission involving Weiß though."

/Weiß./

Brad flinched inwardly as he thought about Weiß and because it was inevitable, he also thought about Ken.

::Aha! So that's it! Bradley has the poor kitty Siberian as his boy toy. No wonder you're so happy. Tell me, Brad, is the kitten any good?::

Anger, which seldom overwhelmed Brad, burst through his urbane façade at Schuldich's insinuations. He couldn't help it, he punched the redhead in the nose.

/Keep your nose out of my private affairs, Schuldich. And never insult Siberian again. Or I won't have to use my gift to know how your future will turn out./

Brad shrugged his shoulders and turned his back on the sprawled Schuldich. He turned to Nagi, ignoring the surprised stares everyone threw his way.

"Brief me."

***

"It looks like everything's under control here. I'm just going to take a shower and then I'll be going off for the weekend. Call my cellphone if there are any emergencies." Brad told Nagi and Farfarello. They had just come in from their latest mission. Schuldich had yet to arrive.

"Nani? You're going away for the weekend?" Nagi blinked up at him, his laptop forgotten in his surprise. Brad *never* went off for the weekend. As far as Nagi knew, Brad was a workaholic.

"Maybe Brad is hurting God?" Farfarello told Nagi, his eerie eyes fixed hopefully at Brad. Farfarello had a one-track mind, everyone chose to ignore his comment.

Brad quirked an eyebrow at Nagi. "You make it sound like I am committing a sin, Nagi. I am just going off for the weekend."

"But you *never* go off for the weekend." Nagi protested. "You can't blame me for being surprised."

"Blame you for being surprised about what, Nagi?"

Schuldich asked, just managing to catch the tail end of Nagi's words, as he entered the room.

"Brad is going away for the weekend." Nagi told Schuldich, the incredulous tone in his voice conveyed how much it shook him. Anyone who heard him would have thought that the world was coming to an end because of what Brad planned to do.

"Brad is going to hurt God." Farfarello chimed in, back to licking his knives clean. They had seen action tonight as Schwarz battled Weiß and Weiß' blood coated the knives. Not that much to satisfy Farfarello but enough. He missed the Weiß member Siberian who was usually the one he faced-off with. Now he had to share with Schuldich.

Everyone ignored Farfarello's comment. And Schuldich pinned Brad with a look.

::I see that your affair is affecting you, Bradley. You are actually leaving work to go to him?::

Brad flushed. /It is none of your business, Schuldich./

::Aa, but it will become my business once it interferes with your ability to function as leader.::

/Understood. But until then, you would do well to stay out of my business./

Brad dismissed Schuldich from his mind and turned to Nagi. "Now, Nagi, stop acting so agitated. I would just like some time to myself for a change. And we don't have any pending missions. Would you deny me this?"

"No. I suppose you're right. Its just that its not like you at all."

/Not like me./

"Ah well! You go off and enjoy yourself, Brad. I promise you won't hear another word from me."

And with that Nagi turned back to his laptop and immersed himself in his work.

Brad turned to walk out of the room.

::You do know that this won't last, don't you, Brad?::

Schuldich's sudden comment stopped Brad in his tracks for a few seconds.

::He is Weiß and you are Schwarz. And never the twain shall meet.::

***

Ken made no overt attempt to escape but Brad knew that he was thinking about it. He saw it in the way Ken constantly went outside to look at the steep mountain's layout, walking around the cabin's perimeter and noting where the sun rose and set.

Brad let him. He knew that there was no possibility of escape except through the air. And only Brad could call the helicopter to come.

He had also taken Ken completely off the drugs, leaving him bright-eyed and clearheaded. He knew that by doing this, he was risking the chance of waking up with the kitchen knives in his chest or not waking up at all, but he still did it. He preferred to talk to someone intelligible rather than have someone grin at him like some vacuous non-entity.

***

Ken was a man divided in his soul. Half of him, the Ken half, as he rationalized, was very much in the tight grip of Stockholm syndrome. He was head over heels in love with his keeper. But the other half, Siberian, remembered who he was. He was Weiß and Schwarz was his enemy. Therefore he tried to find avenues of escape.

***

Brad looked up from his writing desk to find Ken staring at him with a questioning look. The boy had his chin propped up between his hands and his bangs flopped onto his face. Those bangs irritated Brad, who always liked being impeccable, and he always tried to brush them back from Ken's face. But he chose to ignore them today in favor of the questioning look in Ken's eyes.

"What?"

"How old are you?"

Brad looked old sometimes because he always looked too serious for his own good. He always dressed in three-piece suits and had this cold urbane façade up. He even had glasses on. It drove Ken nuts to see Brad impeccably groomed all the time and he always nagged him to dress down a bit.

"Twenty seven." Brad answered.

"Really?"

Brad nodded. "Why?"

"Nothing. I just wondered. That's all."

Brad frowned at Ken. He hated conversation threads that led nowhere. Something Ken found out about and used to his advantages. He delighted in tweaking Brad's nose once in a while.

"Do you ever say anything with sense?" Brad told Ken, disgruntled.

Ken laughed and straddled Brad's lap, eliciting a shocked look from the older man. Brad was stuffy, to say the least, stuffier than Aya even, as Ken found out. Ken often did things like what he just did to find out if it would shock Brad.

Ken gave him a quick kiss on the mouth.

"I love you."

::He is Weiß and you are Schwarz. And never the twain shall meet.::

Brad remembered Schuldich's words.

"No, you don't. Trust me."

Ken looked into Brad's eyes. "I'm not lying."

"I know. You are simply mistaken."

But in contrast to his words, Brad's arms came up to encircle Ken. He dragged Ken down to his waiting mouth to claim the younger boy's in a possessive, desperate kiss.

::He is Weiß and you are Schwarz. And never the twain shall meet.::

/How long can this last?/

***

"You're hurt!" Ken's voice was full of concern as he dragged Brad to their room. "Here, sit on the bed while I go get the medicine kit from the bathroom."

Brad didn't say a thing, he just followed Ken's instruction and sat on the bed.

"I told you to be careful." Ken said, kneeling down beside Brad and daubed at the long gash on his arm with some disinfectant. "What happened?"

Brad didn't answer him at once. He was too distracted by the concern and care the other boy was giving him. A strange warm feeling settled in his heart.

/I can get used to this, to you, Ken./

"Brad?" Ken looked up at him with a question in his eyes. "How did you get this?"

Weiß…The assassin group's leader Abyssinian had dealt him that blow with his katana in an unguarded moment.

//"What did you do with Siberian, Schwarz?"

Brad's heart skipped a beat. As it always did when he heard any mention of Ken. It surprised him, this question. It was the first time Abyssinian had ever asked him.

He replied with his usual insolent drawl.

"What do you think?"

Rage burst like wild-fire in violet eyes at his words as the Weiß leader charged at him, swiping at him wildly with his katana. The deadly redhead fairly shook with antagonism. And all Brad could do was evade him in his startlement.

"You killed him, Schwarz. You killed him. And for that you will pay with your life."

Isn't this a little too much for just one teammate? Brad had a sneaking suspicion that it went far beyond that.

FLASH!

[Brad saw Abyssinian, looking down on the confused, hurt boy in his arms with the gentlest expression in his eyes. "You will forget him eventually. I will help you because…because…Ai shitteru, Ken. I love you."]

Brad faltered at seeing Ken in Abyssinian's arms, hurt. And that was when Abyssinian took advantage of his distraction to slash at his arm.

Pain.

"Brad!"

Nagi mentally threw Abyssinian away from Brad.

"Are you hurt?"

Brad had glanced at his arm. It was throbbing like hell but he knew it was only a shallow wound. The pain inside was the only thing that concerned him right now.

"Let's retreat for now."//

He became aware of warm lips on his own.

"Earth to Brad." Ken grinned at him after disengaging from the quick kiss. "I knew that would get you to respond."

He patted Brad's arm which he had wrapped in gauze while Brad had been lost in his thoughts. "Now tell me, how did you get this? Did Farfarello accidentally nick you?"

Ken was trying to make a joke. But Brad wasn't in the mood. He remembered his vision.

His tone came out clipped. "I'd rather not discuss it."

This made Ken look at him with startled eyes. Brad had never used this tone with him for sometime now. And it made Ken wonder just why the older man was taking this tone with him.

There was only one thing Ken could think of that would make Brad this edgy. Weiß. His eyes flickered and assassin memory took over.

/Aya's katana could deal such a gash./

Memories of his friends drifted into Ken's mind like some half-remembered dream. In his enforced stay here in Brad's cabin, he had almost forgotten his life as an assassin, making only token attempts at escaping, maybe to pacify his conscience more than anything else.

And now guilt flowered in his mind. Guilt at betraying their cause and not trying to escape. Guilt at actually enjoying being with Brad, who was supposed to be his enemy…

But the other half of him protested. Ken loved Brad. It was hard for him to let go. Stockholm syndrome or no, a part of him suffered everytime he thought of him being Weiß and being Brad's enemy.

He put both hands on his head. It ached a lot.

/Goddamn it! Why does it have to be this complicated? Who am I to be? Am I Weiß? Or am I Ken? And worse, who do I *want* to be…/

"Ken?"

He felt Brad lay a hand on his shoulder. And in his confused state, he turned to strike out at the root of the problem, human nature taking over to hurt the one responsible for his pain.

"Stay away from me, Schwarz!"

Brad flinched inside as Ken flung his hand away. But his face remained emotionless. He knew then that Ken had realized just who had dealt the wound. And blamed him for it.

/As is your right, Ken. I should never have made you mine. It is my fault./

He exited the bedroom just in time to hear Ken sobbing inside. He closed his ears. He couldn't do anything now. The deed had been done. There was no turning back.

::He is Weiß and you are Schwarz. And never the twain shall meet.::

/How long will this last?/

***

/How long will it last?/

"Brad?"

Brad looked up to see Nagi waving a hand in front of his face.

"What is it?"

Nagi arched an eyebrow. "I just asked you what our next step will be against Weiß. You know how impatient Esset is now."

Brad took his glasses off and rubbed at the bridge of his nose before replying. "Gomen nasai, Nagi. I was thinking of something…"

::Thinking of the kitten again, ne, Brad?::

/That's none of your business, Schuldich./

::Aa, I beg to differ, O Fearless Leader. This relationship is definitely affecting your capabilities as a leader of this group. I cannot let you jeopardize everyone in Schwarz.::

/Very well, Schuldich. Say what you have to say and go./

::Give up Siberian.::

That made Brad sit up and stare at the German who was across the room from him.

::I mean it, Brad. He isn't doing you any good. He is affecting your thought processes, affecting your output, affecting Schwarz. You were never this distracted before him.::

Schuldich poured thought-images through their mind-link…images of Brad before Ken. And Brad saw the cruel calculating man he was.

/I was a cold bastard./

Amused laughter rang out in his mind. ::Aa. That's true. But you were also efficient and effective. You were…you are Schwarz' driving force.::

Brad acknowledged the compliment from Schuldich. It was rare of the German to give it, normally he was snipping at Brad.

::Well, don't get your hopes up. This is the last time you are hearing it from me.::

Brad was now in a quandary. He didn't know what he had to do. He loved Ken…

::That love will not last…you see what happened when he knew we were battling Weiß. That will happen again and again until finally he will hate you for what you did to him.::

Truth was a hard pill to swallow and Brad wasn't ready for it yet.

/That is enough, Schuldich. Leave me be./

A mental shrug.

::I only tell the truth. You cannot deceive yourself forever, Brad. Once he wakes up from his delusion, he *will* want to return to Weiß and then where would you be? Schwarz will be here far longer than your love for Siberian and his love for you..::

/LEAVE!/

::Just remember Brad. He is Weiß and you are Schwarz, and never the twain shall meet.::

TBC

^_~ And will Romeo and Juliet triumph do you think? Comments if ok ne?


	6. Devil In the Sun 6/6

Author: Swythangel   
Email: swythangel@hotmail.com   
Title: Devil In the Sun   
Type: 6/6, Series   
Teaser: Ken is caught by Schwarz and, ah hell, I can't describe it..just read please   
Rating: PG -13   
Spoilers:   
Warnings: Shonen Ai, yaoi hints, torture, AU   
Disclaimer: Weiß Kreuz is not mine…will never be mine but damn if that'll stop me from torturing their lives in my fics...   
Keywords: Ken, Brad, BradxKen, Schwarz, torture

The end! I actually finished this before Gotterdammerung blinks>Ah well!I will finish Gotterdammerung, Siberian-chan! I will, I will! After the teaser fic…if i ever start on the teaser fic.grin>   
Thanks to everyone who commented. And I'm really sorry,minna-san, but there is no lemon here either...urk! please don't killme.   
Here's thelast part, hope it meets your expectations.

**Devil In the Sun**   
**Part 6**

Schuldich's revelation served only to boost the doubt in Brad's heart. The seed had been planted when he had his vision while fighting Aya and Ken's reaction to Schwarz' battles with Weiß.

This made his relationship with Ken change, it became uneasier. The invisible wall of Weiß and Schwarz between them. He suspected that Ken was experiencing the same thing. The boy was always lost in thoughts these days.

_/Maybe it is time to end this…/_

But Brad couldn't take the first step. He still loved Ken. Very much.

So he took out his frustrations on the Weiß leader. Abyssinian went home with a lot of bullet wounds and bruises these days. Almost equal to the sword nicks Brad had. The stoic redhead gave as much as he got.

If Ken and Weiß had not been in the way, he would have admired Abyssinian.

***

Ken noticed the invisible wall growing between him and Brad. Noticed and understood. There was no avoiding it, it was inevitable.

As was Brad's refusal to discuss the issue at all. That too was inevitable. The Schwarz leader shied away from matters pertaining to them. A distinct peculiarity since the American was normally conscientious and persistent with problems. Just look at the single-minded efforts to kill Weiß.

Not that Ken blamed him. Because to discuss the issue would be to destroy the comfortable ambience of their relationship.

Here there were no Weiß and no Schwarz. No murders or pain. Just Brad and Ken.

But how long could this last? Reality would intrude and when it did, where would they be? Ken didn't want to let go of Brad but he wanted to go back to Weiß too. They were his friends, his family. He couldn't let them go.

And he knew Brad long enough now to know that Brad would never consider leaving Schwarz. Try as he might to make it look like they were just people he worked with, Ken knew better. Brad was fiercely loyal to Schwarz. He too would not betray them.

_/But I can try and make him…if I really want to./_

It was a thought best left for another day. Today he had Brad. Ken reasoned out. Tomorrow would sort itself out. He would live in the sun and seize the day, just as he always did.

And with that thought he walked towards the one who held his heart, to try and ease the worry behind the blank mask, tripping on the carpet as he always did.

***

Days and weeks passed. Brad still went back to Schwarz during the weekdays and fought Weiß. On weekends he would go back to Ken and the isolated mountain cabin, trying to make the happiness last, ignoring the inevitable.

But fate would not have that. So came the inevitable day…

***

Ken stared at Brad with worried eyes. The American had been staring out the window ever since he had arrived with the most preoccupied expression on his face.

_/What are you thinking about, Brad?/_

Ken looked at Brad's shadowy profile in the setting sun for a while before venturing to ask.

"Brad. Is something wrong?"

Silence.

Ken was shocked to see a tear fall from Brad's cheek. _/He never cries…/_

"What's wrong?"

Ken walked over to where the older man remained immobile and laid a hand on Brad's arm. This time Brad answered him, not moving from his position, not even to look at Ken's worried eyes.

"There is to be a prisoner exchange."

Ken backed away as if he had been burned. The implication was not lost on him.

_/I can finally return to Aya, Youji and Omi!/_

_/How can I leave Brad?/_

Emotions and thoughts warred in his mind. It was a long time before he answered. Only when he was numb enough to do so did he take a deep breath and asked.

"Who are you getting for me?"

"Weiß captured Schuldich in the last mission. Esset and Schwarz want Schuldich back. I have suggested a prisoner exchange. We have told Weiß that you are alive. They were only too happy to exchange Schuldich for you."

_::He is Weiß and you are Schwarz. And never the twain shall meet.::_

Brad lapsed into silence, staring blindly at the scenery outside the window for the longest time.

"Your happiness has become indispensable to me."

He couldn't help but say it. Instantly regretting the words as soon as it left his lips.

_::He is Weiß and you are Schwarz. And never the twain shall meet.::_

"I am happy here."

"Your feelings will soon change once you know everything. The world outside has changed beyond this little cabin."

"Tell me about it." Ken told him, grinning. It had been a standing joke between them, the way Brad refused to talk about anything outside.

_/How can you joke about something serious like this?/_

Brad wanted to tell Ken but he didn't want to show his inner turmoil so he didn't. Instead, the cruel streak he seldom let Ken see, surfaced to save him from making a fool of himself.

"The last confrontation of Weiß and Schwarz is coming soon."

Brad said it straight out. Brad wanted to shatter the hard-won intimacy they had been sharing for the past months. He wanted to let Ken understand what this latest development implied. Once Ken returned to Weiß, they would be enemies again. There would be no going back.

_::He is Weiß and you are Schwarz. And never the twain shall meet.::_

But the idiot didn't understand at all. All Ken saw was Brad suffering.

"I don't want to go home."

Brad flicked a finger, throwing an imaginary pawn at Ken. He was calling Ken a liar.

"I get you." Ken told Brad.

"How stupid can you be?" Brad arched an eyebrow at him. "You shouldn't have tried that on me."

"I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

_/You are hurting me more by what you do./_

"Baka."

"Yeah, sometimes."

***

They didn't sleep in the same bed that night. Brad chose to sleep on the couch. As if he was trying to exorcise Ken out of his life already.

_/Life goes on. It is reality. I have seen so many futures and so many of these realities for so long. And survived them all. I will survive this../_

He was wearing his usual impeccable three-piece suit the next day when he came into the bedroom to take Ken with him.

"It will be a little difficult for you." Brad told him, moving robotically, his face pale. "You had been reported death to Weiß. The circumstances of your imprisonment have not been divulged to anyone."

"Saaa, I'll tell them. They'll understand."

"You have to get changed."

Brad gave Ken his old assassin gear, torn in several places with dried blood on them. And Ken blinked. His body had filled out to its normal form throughout his stay in the cabin and he looked like he had been taken good care of. There was no way anyone would believe the image Brad wanted to present.

"Who is this suppose to fool?"

"You're bloody assassin friends, I don't know." Brad snapped back.

Ken dressed. More for Brad's sake than because he believed the other Weiß members would believe in the charade. He looked worriedly at the Schwarz leader. Brad looked like he would pass out at any moment.

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

"Let's go then." Brad's tone was clipped as he turned to lead the way to the waiting helicopter.

"Brad." Ken laid a hand on his arm. "Why don't you join Weiß?" /_Join me._/ 

The unspoken words hung in the air. Ken knew that Brad understood. He would be able to see it in Ken's eyes.

Join Weiß? The spontaneous offer to join enemy ranks surprised Brad for a moment. He didn't expect it.

Brad knew it was a genuine offer from Ken. But as much as he might care for the boy, he knew what his answer would be. Reality would never allow him to delude himself into thinking that there could be a chance that this relationship would work out. But most importantly, Brad was Schwarz, his beliefs, his actions and his thoughts were Schwarz, anything else was immaterial.

It was time to end this.

"Join Weiß? Yes, I suppose your friends would welcome someone who has cut them up so many times? And kidnapped one of their sister?"

Ken fairly beamed with excitement at the thought that Brad was considering his proposal. He completely disregarded the sarcasm in his tone.

"Well I'll handle it. At first it'll be rough going but they'll accept it, eventually. Once they see what a great guy you are."

_/Aa, Ken. How you can turn a blind eye to what I did to you before is something I can never understand. You don't even seek revenge…instead you ask me to join you, you hold me in high regard… You are too naïve./_

"And are you not afraid that I might just be using you to get to them? To find out who commands Weiß and squash your assassin group to pieces? I am Schwarz' leader after all."

"Brad, you wouldn't do that."

Conviction filled Ken's words.

Ken had seen Brad in all of his vulnerability. He had conveniently forgotten how Brad operated as a Schwarz member. And that was dangerous.

Ken needed to understand the danger of trusting his enemy. And Brad was going to be his enemy again. The next time they met it would be on the battlefield. With Ken on the side of Weiß and Brad with Schwarz.

_::He is Weiß and you are Schwarz. And never the twain shall meet.::_

It was then that Brad realized the truth in Schuldich's word. The world of difference between Ken and himself.

In this insulated world they had created together, it had not mattered at all. Allowances had been made and accepted. Some truths could be avoided in the solitary shelter far from anyone concerned.

But such a relationship would never last outside especially in the glaring light of unavoidable truth. And Brad knew it from the first. He just didn't want to face facts. Because he had been selfish enough to want what had been offered.

Now was the time for Ken and him to face facts.

Brad deliberately used the coldest, cruelest tone of voice in his repertoire.

"You don't know the extent of what I can do, Ken Hidaka. You don't know ***me***. I am Schwarz. I can kill even you if I have to."

Ken looked at him with shocked eyes that threatened to spill in tears. Brad couldn't take it, this trust Ken saw in him to be shattered without cause. He needed to explain his side at the very least. Explain and make a clean cut. Then he could go on with his life.

He grabbed Ken by the shoulders.

"Listen, Ken. I only speak truth. Once we go out this door, you will be Siberian of Weiß and I will be Brad Crawford of Schwarz. The boundaries that this cabin has set aside will once more be firmly in place. There is nothing you can do about it but accept."

_/As I will have to accept./_

"And if I do not want to accept?" Ken asked him, voice tremulous.

"Then you die. By my own hand or by Schuldich, Farfarello or even Nagi. You are an assassin, Ken. You know what it entails. There is no place for mercy." Brad's tone was cruel. The truth always was.

In Brad's mind, he wasn't just convincing Ken, he was convincing himself. He needed to be emotionally stable and ready to face Weiß again, now that Esset's plans were in their critical phase. He needed to be cruel, calculating. He needed to be Crawford, Schwarz' leader. There was no room for emotion.

"I love you."

The three simple words came out unadorned, devoid of any flowery accompaniment. Uttered in true Ken style, simple, with all his emotions in his expressive eyes and a wistful yearning in his voice.

By themselves, they should have been meaningless. Should have been. But it came from *him* and this threw Brad off balance.

/I love you too./

No! He wouldn't say it. To say it would be to submit to whatever Ken wanted. And what Ken wanted was impossible.

"But I don't."

That definitely shook Ken. The hurt and pain clear in his eyes. But Brad closed his heart to the disillusioned boy in front of him. He didn't take him into his arms nor did he utter words of comfort. The time for emotion had passed. There was nothing the both of them could do but follow the path set on them by fate.

"Let's go."

He led the way out of the cabin with a quiet Ken in tow.

"Get in, Siberian."

Brad had drawn out his gun and nudged Ken to get into the helicopter where the rest of Schwarz waited. It was time for Weiß to be Weiß and Schwarz to be Schwarz.

When the helicopter lifted off the mountain and had gained sufficient altitude, Brad pressed the remote control in his hand.

The last action to end the dream. Because it was a dream, nothing else. And it was time to wake up.

The cabin exploded. A twinge of regret and that was all. Brad cruelly let his emotions die with the memories in the now non-existent cabin.

He felt rather than heard Ken's distress as the brown-haired boy saw the cabin destroyed. But when Brad turned towards him, Ken looked away. The last thing Brad saw in Ken's eyes before they became expressionless tore at him. It had been one of disillusioned betrayal.

_/That is good, Ken. That will help you build up your anger at me. And when we met again, you will have the strength to face Schwarz as a member of Weiß./_

Brad should have been comforted by the thought. Ken would be able to survive now. And fate alone would determine whom among Weiß and Schwarz would win. But somehow, something inside of him cried out at the thought of what he had just done.

_/So much for emotions blowing up with the cabin./_

_::He is Weiß and you are Schwarz. And never the twain shall meet.::_

Maybe, if he kept telling himself that, he would eventually believe it.

No, he would believe it. He would forget everything that happened. Brad's iron will would not let him do otherwise. He would block out the feelings and emotions. Erase Ken Hidaka from his mind. Become what he was before.

From now on, he would be Schwarz' leader and nothing else. He would be Brad Crawford. Nothing would stand in his way.

Somewhere from the back of his memory, he remembered something Ken told him a long time ago.

_//"I'm sort of disappointed though…"_

_"Nani? Why?" Brad asked Ken, confused._

_"I always feel that White should win over Black."//_

_/Well, Ken, it seems that the White King wins in the end, ne?/_

OWARI

^_~ I told you guys I'm a depressing writer.

Somehow, I felt like the whole thing was a pointless exercise. -_-; I try and try to make it deep and non-cliché and it comes out like this. It felt like it went nowhere…sigh> but as usual I'd love your comments.


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